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Articulating design decisions as a non-native English speaker

 2 years ago
source link: https://uxplanet.org/articulating-design-decisions-as-a-non-native-english-speaker-c1077720d512
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Articulating design decisions as a non-native English speaker

How I’ve got better at talking about my designs as a speaker of English as a second language (ESL)

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by danjazzia

I started learning English when I was 5 years old. My mom likes to tell the story of how eager and excited I was about it that I would never miss a chance to show off my skills whenever an opportunity presented itself, like counting up to 10.

What was initially more of an interest became a requirement before I started college. I was so deep in it during this time that I’d dream in English, with Turkish subtitles. No joke. And the real twist was that the subtitles were never in sync!

I could live with poorly translated dreams as a teen, but as an adult designer, it’s crucial I communicate my ideas and decisions clearly to make sure nothing’s lost in translation.

With that in mind, here are some of the lessons I’ve learned in my journey that helped me get better at articulating design decisions as a non-native English speaker.

1. Slow down

I know that whenever I feel like I’m not articulating my thoughts clearly, I have a tendency to start speaking faster. This often results in sentences that make any sense at all.

So now, whenever I realize I’m going too fast, I do two things: one, I focus on finishing the sentence at hand. And two, I pause for a second and take a deep breath.

This not only helps calm me down physically — science backs this up — but it also helps my brain to take the lead, stopping my mouth from going rogue.

Pro tip: Mindfulness techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises can help you get better at “pausing.”

2. Observe mentors

A realization that helped me a lot mentally is that expressing design decisions doesn’t come naturally to many native English speakers, either. This is a skill native speakers also typically work at and improve upon. In fact, one resource I found helpful was a book recommended to me by a native speaker, Articulating Design Decisions by Tom Greever.

Whenever I’m in design meetings, I also make sure to pay closer attention to not only the designs themselves but also how they’re presented.

Pro tip: Observe and note the nuances when a senior designer you look up to presents their work at different levels of fidelity (concepts, sketches, wires or finished UI) and to various types of crowds (fellow designers, engineers, product partners, or leadership).

3. Keep yourself immersed

One thing that helped me tremendously while learning English was my interest in the entertainment world. Whenever I’d hear a term or phrase I wasn’t familiar with on a tv show or in a song, I’d pause to look it up. In fact, I learned some of my first curse words from Eminem.

Keeping my interest in English alive, aka the language I use in my professional life, still continues to broaden my horizon, expand my vocabulary and help me put my thoughts into words more clearly.

I probably spend just as much time consuming pop culture content today as ever but now there are also design shows, books, docs and podcasts in the mix.

Pro tip: Check out these product design podcasts.

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by danjazzia

4. Be gentle with yourself

I have lost my train of thought or stumbled over my words many times, but I have never noticed a sign of impatience or frustration from anyone in the room. I have been asked to clarify or rephrase things, of course, but native English speakers also get asked to clarify or elaborate on things. It’s par for the course.

Another thing to remember is that you grow and improve upon your skills as a designer in many ways that aren’t specific to the industry. Public speaking is one whether English is your first or second language. But the more you learn and experience as a designer, the easier it gets to communicate your ideas and decisions.

Pro tip: It’s a cliche, but just like acquiring any other skill, it gets better and easier with time.

5. Work with fellow non-native speakers

Working with other non-native speakers, some things may get lost in translation; accents may clash; idioms may get butchered. But none of it should have to take anything away from the magic of collaborating.

Working with fellow designers whose native language also isn’t English has helped me a lot; taught me to see and appreciate different perspectives more easily and to focus on the bigger picture regardless of the terms we use to get there.

Brainstorming and problem solving with fellow colleagues who also didn’t grow up speaking English can even fuel more creative thinking.

Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to speak up in design crits. Giving design feedback is another great way to practice articulating your thoughts clearly.

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by danjazzia

I still sometimes say “close” the phone instead of “hang up,” except now I know not to be hard on myself about it. Learning to communicate design decisions effectively is a huge mountain to climb, but every upward move gets you closer to the summit.

Also, I still sometimes dream with subtitles, but it’s much more in sync with the audio now.


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